Ice cream sandwich machine



Jun 4, 1957 J RAPP 2,794,404

ICE CREAM SANDWICH MACHINE Filed Aug. 5. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet lATTORNEYS.

June 4, 1957 E. J. RAPP 2,794,404

ICE CREAM SANDWICH MACHINE Filed Aug. 5. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll 'f'l"Illlllllilllillllllll Illli I INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

June 4, 1957 E. J. RAPP ICE CREAM SANDWICH MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed Aug. 5, 195 3 JNVENTORI m/fipp,

ATTUR/Vfy June 4, 1957 E. J. RAPP 2,794,404

ICE CREAM SANDWICH MACHINE Filed Aug. 5 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I ma Il!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 7 iiiiii 7 ,AAAAIAAQX M l W W I m 4 fl Z W/Z BY ATTORNEYS.

tinite TI 2,794,404 ice CREAM SANDWICH MACHENE Earl Joseph Rapp, Toledo,Ohio, assigncr to Lynch Corporation, Anderson, hi, a corporation oflndiana This invention relates to an ice cream sandwich machine andparticularly one which is of comparatively simple and inexpensiveconstruction, involves a minimum of operating parts, yet eflicientlymakes ice cream sandwiches from ice cream being continuously extrudedfrom a nozzle and from stacks of wafers from which two wafers at a timeare extracted and placed on opposite sides of the ice cream.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a machine of thisgeneral character which can quickly form ice cream sandwiches at a ratethat is comparable to that attained in wrapping machines for butter andthe like so that the formed ice cream sandwiches can be directlydelivered to a wrapping machine of this character and from which thewrapped ice cream sandwiches may be discharged, cartoned "and thenplaced in an ice cream freezer for hardening and preparatory tosubsequent distribution, the entire operation being automatic with theexception of the necessity of keeping a pair of chutes of the machinefilled with wafers.

Another object is to provide in an ice cream sandwich making machine inwhich an ice cream extruding nozzle is mounted in opposition to asandwich receptor and waters are fed against opposite sides of thenozzle, wafer engaging blades being provided to move the wafers to aposition beyond the discharge end of the nozzle to contact the ice creambeing extruded therefrom and thus form a sandwich, a sandwich receptorwhich is intermittently movable and when it does move effects a shearingaction on the ice cream with respect to the nozzle so as to complete theice cream sandwich unit, ready for delivery to a conveyor, which in turndelivers it to a wrapping mechanism of a wrapping machine.

A further object is to provide actuating mechanism for the sandwichreceptor and for the wafer engaging blades so that they are properlytimed and coordinated with a continuous rate of extrusion of the icecream from the nozzle to efiiciently form the sandwiches by thecombination of this extrusion and the movement of the wafers into thepockets of the sandwich receptor, the completion of the sandwich beingmerely the shearing ofi of the ice cream by the movement of the sandwichreceptor.

Still a further object is to provide a sandwich receptor consisting of apair of discs with notches therein, the notches being tapered in suchmanner as to cooperate in the proper coaction of the continuouslyextruded ice cream and the intermittently moved wafers in properlyforming the sandwiches. I

An additional object is to provide a method of making icecreamsandwiches which involves the steps of extruding ice cream from a nozzleat a substantially constant rate and intermittently moving waters in thedirection of extrusion and at a higher rate into a receptor pocket withthe advance edge of the ice cream and the advance edges of the waferssubstantially coincident when the two are completely in'the pocket, andthen moving the sandwich of wafers and ice cream between them laterallyStates Fatent Q in respect to the direction of initial ice creammovement for shearing oh the ice cream substantially at the dischargeend of the nozzle.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my icecream sandwich machine and in the steps of my methodwhereby the objectscontemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointedout in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ice cream sandwich machineembodying my present invention and showing it mounted on the intake endof a wrapping machine, a portion of the wrapping machine conveyor beingshown for removing the ice cream sandwiches from my machine anddelivering them to the wrapping mechanism of the wrapping machine. V

Figure 2 is another perspective view of the ice cream sandwich makingmachine, as seen from the opposite side of the view shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged central vertical sectional View through therotor that forms the sandwich receptor and through the associated partsof the machine, and shows it in operation, a sandwich having beencompletely received in a pocket of the receptor. r I

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 andshows the various operating mechanisms of the machine. I

Figure 5 is a detailed vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure4 to show the intermittent drive for the sandwich receptor. a

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view somewhat similar to Figure 3 showing theoperation just as the wafers are beginning to move downwardly into apocket ofthe receptor.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but enlarged thereover to show afurther step in the operation, the sandwich being about half way betweenthe initial and final positions thereof and after which the parts assumethe position shown in Figure 3. a

Figure 8 is a similar diagrammatic view showing the positions of theparts following Figure 3 and the ice cream of the sandwich being sheared01f across the discharge end of the nozzle; and

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 4 toshow the wafer propelling mechanism and its relation to the nozzle andother parts of the machine.

On the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 toindicate the frame of a wrapping machine which may be supported bysuitable legs such as shown at 12. This machine includes a pair ofintake conveyor chains 14 on which spaced lugs 16 are mounted and thechains extend over a pair of sprockets 18 mounted on a, shaft 243. Theshaft 20 is driven continuously for moving ice cream sandwichesindicated at S to a wrapping position where wrapping mechanism wrapsthemand discharges them from the wrapping machine. Since this mechanismforms no part of my present invention it has not been illustrated.

My ice cream sandwich machine is in the form of an attachment for thewrapping machine thus far described and consists of a suitable frameplate 22 attached to the wrapping machine frame 10 as by bolts 23 (seeFigure 2) and supporting the mechanism of the sandwich machine. Thismechanism will now be described.

A sandwich receptor is provided in the form of a pair of discs 24secured to a shaft 26 which is journaled in a bearing 28 and a bearing30. The bearing 28 is secured to the frame plate 22 and the bearing 30is pronines a flan e .32 bo ted t the f ame s at 34 (see Figure 1).

The shaft 26 is driven from a shaft 36 by means of a ear $8 s u ed-F 46an a P n n me h n t ere th and secured to-36. A Geneva disc 42 issecured; to the shaft 3 6 to which the pinion 40 is: also secured. Thedisc 42-is. provided with slots 4.4. A rotator roller 46 is adapted toenact with the slots 44, this roller being carried .by' a rotator arm 48of the Geneva movement secured to a constantly rotating shaft 50. Theshaft 50 is journaled in a bearing 54 and the shaft 36 is journaled in abearing 52,the two terminating within the Geneva disc 42 as shown inFigure 4 by means of dotted lines.

7 The shaft 50 isrotatedonce each cycle of operation orjurewrap ingmachineby means of a sprocket 58 and 51min 60, thechain .extending'to asuitable shaft of theiIvvrapping-,machine (not shown) which is rotatedonce 'pe'rcyle, and thusmy sandwich making machine is in timed relationto the continuously operable intake conveyor '14. A housing62 is shownto cover the chain .0 Y r .An ice cream extrudingnozzle 64 is supportedon the frame plate 22 as will hereinafter be described and iscgnnectedbya union 66 and a nipple 68 to a transparent flexible plastictuhe70 into which plastic but form susraining. ice cream is suppliedunder pressure from the ice cream making apparatus. The ice cream isindicated generally at C and is adapted to be extruded between Wafers Wto form the ice cream sandwiches S.

A lower rod 72 is welded to the nozzle 64 and an upper rod 74 is weldedto a collar 76 surrounding the neck of the nozzle and extending toward abracket 78. This bracket has hubs 80 and 82 receiving the rods 72 and 74respectively and set screws 84 and 86 are provided for retaining therods in the. hubs. The heads of the set screws are knurled for quickadjustment for a purpose whichwill hereinafter appear. A surface of theplate 22 indicated at 73 acts as a definite stop for the rod 72 in orderto locate the nozzle 64 accurately centered in relation to the sandwichreceptor discs 24.

Thie bracket 78 is secured to the frame plate 22 by means of a pair ofclamp screws 88 passing through slots 90of the bracket and threaded intothe plate. These slots permit vertical adjustment of the nozzle and alifting screw 92'iis provided for coaction with a guide rod support 94for lifting thebracket 78 or lowering it when the screws 88'are loosenedfor adjustment purposes. After the adjustment is completed then ofcourse the scr'wsss are clamped tight.

A pair of guide rods 96 have their upper ends fixed in thesupport 94 andtheir lower ends fixed in hubs 98 of the gear housing 56. Sleeveportions 100 of a slide 102 are .slidable vertically on the guide rods96 and carry wafer propelling plates'104 located on opposite sides ofthe nozzle 64 as shown in Figure 9. A cross brace'106 is providedbetween the plates 104. For reciprocating the slide 102 I provide a stud108 projecting therefrom to which the upper end of a link 110'ispivoted. The lower end is pivoted to a stud 112 carried by the outer endof a lever 114 which is pivoted at 116 to the frame plate 22.Intermediate the ends of the lever 114 a link 118 is pivoted thereto ona stud 11. flnd'an adjusting rod 120 is threaded into the link 118 andinto an eccentric strap 124.. A lock nut 122 is provided on theadjusting rod to lock the adjustment. The eccentric strap surrounds aneccentric 126 secured tothe constantly rotating shaft 50.

A pair of inclined chutes 128 are provided and these are supported inspaced relation to the frame plate 22 by means of four rods 130 weldedthereto and passing through the frame plate and provided with nuts 132.These chutes are for the purpose of containing stacks of the wafers W asshown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 with the inclination of the chutes tendingto force the wafers by gravity against the opposite sides of the nozzle64 as illustrated.

Wafer hold-down bars 134 are located above the Wafers W and adjacent thenozzle these are widened as at 136 and provided with hold-down fingers138. The elements 134136-138 are supported by four brackets 140 boltedat 142 to the frame plate 22.

Pairs of resilient fingers 137 are provided below the wafers W adjacentthe sides of the nozzle at the ejection end of the chutes 128. Thesefingers serve to support the lowermost wafer of each chute to preventthem from falling prior to their downward ejectment by plates 104.

The sandwich receptor discs 24 are provided with notches having sides144 and bottoms 146. The sides 144 are slightly inclined so as toconverge toward the center of rotation as shown in Figure 3. Sandwichholddown rods 148 are supported by rods 150 extending from the frameplate 22 and these are arc-shaped to follow along the peripheries of thediscs 24.

Practical operation In the operation of my ice cream sandwich machine,stacks of wafers W are placed in the inclined chutes 128 and, due. togravity, will contact the opposite sides of the nozzle 64 as illustratedin Figure 3. The ice cream C is being constantly extruded under slightpressure due to the action of the ice cream making equipment and theextrusion of course is at a predetermined rate which may be variedsomewhat depending upon various conditions. V 1

Referring to Figure 6 the ice cream is being extruded from the discharge(lower) end of the nozzle 64 and the wafer propelling plates 104 havestarted to move down so that they engage the two'wafers next to thenozzle and are pushing them past the lower ends of the chutes 128 andinto the pocket of the ice cream sandwich receptor (notches 144146 ofthe disc 24) which at this time are aligned with the nozzle.

-When the wafers are about half-way down they slant outwardly. slightlyas shown in Figure 7 and since the ice cream is being constantlyextruded whereas the wafers are lowered only intermittently the icecream is a little ahead of the wafers. However, the speed of lowering ofthe wafers is faster than the extrusion of the ice cream so that by thetime the wafers are completely in the notches 144146 as shown in Figure3 the ice cream'is lagging slightly behind the wafers. This variation in,relative speeds comes about by reason of the extrusion of the ice.cream at a constant rate (which is desirable so that intermittentextrusion is unnecessary) and the periodic movement of successive wafersinto the pockets of the ice cream sandwich receptor. Time must be givenof course for the propeller plates 104 to move upwardly during eachcycle of operation and it is thus necessary to move the wafersdownwardly at a faster rate than the ice cream. By permitting the icecream to move first as in Figure 6 and the wafers to move thereafter butat a greater speed,.the timing of all parts of the machine is possible.

Finally when the sandwich receptor discs 24 start to rotate as in Figure8, this movement will shear the ice cream 05 across the lower end of thenozzle 64 and complete the sandwich unit. During the sandwich makingoperation, the slight taper of the pockets 144--146 permits the Wafer toslant out as in Figure 7 due to the expansionofthe ice cream as itleaves the nozzle and its can be engaged by the lugs 16 of the chains 14and moved along the intake conveyor of the wrapping machine to thewrapping position. There they are wrapped and after leaving the wrappingmachine are boxed and introduced into a freezer for solidifying thesandwiches and preparing them for subsequent storage and distribution tovending machines, consumers, etc.

As the discs 24 rotate the arc-shaped hold-down rods 148 retain thesandwiches in the slots ofthe disc and these rods terminate so as toclear the sandwich at po sition S for being taken away by the conveyor14.

As to the timing of the various elements of my ice cream sandwichmachine in relation to the wrapping machine, the lugs 16 engage thesandwich at positions S and move it out of the slots of the discs 24while the discs are stationary. Also while they are stationary theblades 104 are moved downwardly. Right after the lower limit of theirmovement the discs are indexed to the next station and during theindexing period the plates 104 are moved upwardly while the discs are inmotion.

As to the speed of the wrapping machine (and therefore the ice creamsandwich machine since the two are timed together) it is usual toprovide in these Wrapping machines an infinitely variable speed controland therefore the wrapping machine and the sandwich making machine canbe accurately timed to the extrusion rate of the ice cream C whatever itmay be. If it varies the speed control of the wrapping machine iscorrespondingly reset.

When it is desired to begin operation of the machine, the proper nozzleis selected and quickly connected to the machine by inserting the rods72 and 74 in the hubs 8t) and 82 and the set screws 84 and 86 thentightened and the union connection 66 made. Since the nozzle willunavoidably be relatively warm, the ice cream making apparatus isoperated for a period of time to pass ice cream of the properconsistency out of the nozzle, into a suitable container for subsequentreturn to the apparatus, until the nozzle has reached the proper chilltemperature. The wrapping operation can then be started by throwing inthe clutch for the wrapping machine thus running both it and the icecream sandwich making mechanism. If the timing is found a little bitoff, that is if the ice cream tends to over-fill or underfill thesandwiches, the speed of the wrapping machine and the ice cream sandwichmaking mechanism can be changed as desired. The tube 70 is preferablymade of a transparent plastic material so as to permit the flow of theice cream to be seen therethrough, and to provide sufi'icientflexibility in the line for variation in the relative heights of the icecream making apparatus and the sandwich making machine.

Although the sandwich making apparatus which I have described in detailis particularly intended for use with ice cream, it is apparent that myinvention is equally applicable to any other plastic comestible whichwould lend itself to this type of sandwich assembly.

Some changes may be made in the construction and rrangement of the partsof my sandwich machine and the steps of my method may to some extent bevaried without departing from the real spirit and purpose of myinvention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modifiedforms of structure, use of mechanical equivalents or equivalent methodstep which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. An improved sandwich separating means for a sandwich making machineof the type including an extrusion nozzle having a discharge end fromwhich a plastic comestible may be continuously extruded, and means forfeeding wafers against opposite sides of said nozzle and moving them inthe direction the comestible is being extruded; said separating meanscomprising a conveyor providing a series 'of separate spaced-apartpockets, said pockets each having anopen end for receiving therein apair of waters having extruded comestible therebetween, and meansoperative to intermittently move said conveyor relative to an extrusionnozzle for-suecessively positioning said pockets with their open ends inan oriented filling position closely adjacent an extrusion nozzle forreceiving therein a pair of waters having extrudedcomestibletherebetween, whereby said pockets are adapted after filling and uponmovement of a next successive pocket toward said oriented fillingposition to shear oii comestible across the discharge endofa nozzle andthereby deliver successive sandwiches.

2. An improved sandwich separating means for asandwich making machine ofthe type including an extrusion nozzle having a discharge end from whicha plastic comestible may be continuously extruded, and means for feedingwafers against opposite sides of said nozzle and moving them in thedirection the comestible is being extruded; said separating meanscomprising a pair of spaced discs having notches therein providing aseries of separate spaced-apart pockets, said pockets each having anopen end for receiving therein a pair of wafers having extrudedcomestible therebetween and means operative to intermittently movesaid-discs relative to an extrusion nozzle for successively positioningsaid pockets with their open ends in an oriented filling positionclosely adjacent an extrusion nozzle for receiving therein a pair ofWafers having extruded comestible thercbetween, whereby said pockets areadapted after filling and upon movement of a next successive pockettoward said oriented filling position to shear oif comestible across thedischarge end of a nozzle and thereby deliver successive sandwiches.

3. An improved sandwich separating means for a sandwich making machineof the type including an extrusion nozzle having a discharge end fromwhich a plastic comestible may be continuously extruded, and means forfeeding wafers against opposite sides of said nozzle and moving them inthe direction the comestible is being extruded; said separating meanscomprising a pair of spaced discs having notches therein providing aseries of separate spaced-apart pockets, said pockets each taperingoutwardly toward an open end for receiving therein a pair of wafershaving extruded comestible therebetween, and means operative tointermittently move said discs relative to an extrusion nozzle forsuccessively positioning said pockets with their open ends in anoriented filling position closely adjacent an extrusion nozzle forreceiving therein a pair of wafers having extruded comestibletherebetween, whereby said pockets are adapted after filling and uponmovement of a next successive pocket toward said oriented fillingposition to shear ofi comestible across the discharge end of a nozzleand thereby deliver successive sandwiches.

4. An improved sandwich separating means for a sandwich making machineof the type including an extrusion nozzle having a discharge end fromwhich a plastic comestible may be continuously extruded, and means forfeeding wafers against opposite sides of said nozzle and moving them inthe direction the comestible is being extruded; said separating meanscomprising a rotatably mounted conveyor wheel providing a series ofseparate spaced-apart pockets, said pockets each having an open end forreceiving therein a pair of waters having extruded comestibletherebetween, and means operative to intermittently rotate said conveyorrelative to an extrusion nozzle for successively positioning saidpockets with their open ends in an oriented filling position closelyadjacent an extrusion nozzle for receiving therein a pair of wafershaving extruded comestible therebetween, whereby said pockets areadapted after filling and upon movement of a next successive pockettoward said oriented filling position to shear ofi comestible across thedischarge end of a nozzle and thereby deliver successive sandwiches.

5. An improved sandwich separating means for a sandmaking machine of thetype including an extrusion nozzle having a discharge end fromwhich aplastic coinestible m y be continuously extruded, and means forfeedingwafers against opposite sides of said nozzle and ijiioving themin the direction the comestible is being extruded sa id separating meanscomprising a rotatably mounted conveyor wheel providing a series ofseparate eircumf erentially spaced-apart pockets, said pockets eachhaving a radially outwardly open end for receiving therein a pair'ofwafers having extruded oomestible therebetween, and means operative tointermittently rotate said conveyor relative to an extrusion nozzle forsuccessively positioning said; pockets with 7 their open ends in anoriented filling] position closely adjacent an extrusion nozzle forreceiving therein a pair of wafers having extruded comestibletherebetween, whereby said pockets are adapted 'a fter filling and uponmovementof a next successive pocket toward said oriented fillingposition to shear off comestible across the discharge end of a nozzleand thereby deliver successive sandwiches. V

6.'An improved sandwich separating means for a sandwich making machineof the type including an extrusion nozzle having adischarge end fromwhich a plastic comestible maybe continuously extruded, and means forfeeding wafers against opposite sides of said nozzle and moving them inthe direction the comestible' is being exa 8 a truded; said separatingmeans comprising a pair of spaced discs having notches therein providinga sen'esof separate circumferentially spaced-apart pockets, said'pocketseach tapering' radially outwardly toward an open end for re ceivingtherein apair of wafers having extruded comestible therebetween, andmeans operative to intermittently move said discs relative to anextrusion nozzle for successively positioning said pockets with theiropen ends in an oriented filling position closely adjacent an extrusionnozzle for receiving therein a pair of wafers having extrudedcomestible' therebetween, whereby said pockets are adapted after fillingand upon movement of a next successive pocket toward said orientedfilling position to shear ofi comestible across the discharge end of anozzle and thereb'ydeliver successive sandwiches.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,755,699 Loehr Apr. 22, 1930 2,136,505 Hirschson Nov. 15, 19382,521,213 Gentry Sept. 5, 1950 2,639,677 Anderson May 26, 1953 I FOREIGNPATENTS 291,811 Germany May 10, 1916

